Swine flu

So finally it looks like the H1N1 influenza virus aka swine flu is neither as virulent nor dangerous as it is thought out to be. It seems that the existing flu vaccine ‘Tamiflu’ is effective for treating H1N1. Interestingly though, the H1N1 is some sort of mutated virus that consists of the bird, swine and human flu. Sometimes we human post a greater threat as mode of transmission for viruses as evident in this case whereby it is human which infected the pigs with the influenza virus and not the other way round.

We humans cull animals such as the chickens in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus and to avoid possible cross transmissions to humans. What about if the source of transmission is human? Don’t we have to consider culling human instead so as to prevent spread of virus to animals?

We often heard of advice to avoid kissing pets such as dogs or cats so as to avoid getting infection of gems, bacteria or virus from these cuties. Truth to be told, we humans in fact pose far greater threats to these animals that may lack the necessary immune defense against human diseases.

Against backdrop of cosmopolitan cities such as Singapore, the danger of a pandemic flu and other airborne virus disease outbreak is very real due to the close proximities between people in crowded areas such as public transports.

Furthermore, there are many people who have no consideration for others and would not mind or give it damn by coughing right in front of you without covering their mouth with handkerchief, let alone fat hope if you expect these people to put on mask.

It is not possible for us to avoid or stay away from people who are sick and down with airborne virus diseases all the time. Thus the best that we could do is to maintain a healthy body, and beef up our body immune system as first front line defense against viral infections.